LOOKIN' GOOD: Rex Ryan said he is 'optimistic' that Mark Sanchez (above) will play Sunday versus the Falcons. Photo: AP

There still is no official word on who will start at quarterback for the Jets against the Falcons on Sunday at Giants Stadium.

Mark Sanchez, who missed last week’s game with a sprained right knee, took 75-percent of the snaps in yesterday’s practice and, according to coach Rex Ryan, looked “much better” than he did in Wednesday’s practice.

Everyone in the locker room knows Sanchez is going to start.

Nevertheless, Ryan remained reticent about naming Sanchez until he has full clearance from the doctors today.

“I’m not willing to say that right now,” Ryan said. “I’m optimistic about it, but I’ll have a great idea [today] when I meet the medical staff. We should be able to make that decision [today]. That’s what I’m hoping for.”

The reality of the Jets quarterback situation is this, though: It doesn’t matter who their quarterback is right now.

The way the Jets are playing defense and running the ball, it shouldn’t matter who starts at quarterback for them.

Clemens, who started in place of Sanchez and helped lead the Jets to a 26-3 win over the Buccaneers Sunday, said yesterday that it “doesn’t matter” who starts based on how well the defense is playing.

“The quarterback position — last week, this week, most weeks — doesn’t have to win the game,” Clemens said. “It’s going to come down to that at some point, but with this defense playing the way it is and the way we run the ball, the quarterback just has to take care of the football and make some completions on third down.”

The 7-6 Jets don’t have a 300-yard passing game this season. In 13 games, they have thrown for more than 200 yards three times and have done it once in the last eight games.

In their seven wins, not one came because the quarterback carried the team.

When you have a defense that leads the league in fewest points allowed, fewest yards per game and is ranked No. 1 in numerous other key categories, and you have a rushing offense that leads the NFL in yards per game, you don’t need to be carried by the quarterback.

“I just feel like whoever’s in the game I just don’t want them to lose the game,” defensive end Marques Douglas said. “I’m not asking them to throw for 500 yards or do anything extraordinary. With what we have on the other side of the ball, the quarterback can be comfortable knowing that.”

Right tackle Damien Woody said the Jets simply need to play to the “formula” they have created.

“We know our formula — play strong defense, run the football, play great on special teams and don’t turn the ball over,” Woody said. “The quarterback position is the most important position on the field, don’t get me wrong. Mark is a young talent and a playmaker who can make things happen.

“But in the overall scheme of things, we know how this team is supposed to win — with defense, the running game and special teams and don’t turn the ball over. When we do those things, we’re hard to beat.”

Nevertheless, the statistics indi cate the Falcons should present the Jets some opportunities to make some big plays in the pass ing game.

Atlanta is vulnerable against the pass, ranked 30th in the NFL in pass defense, having allowed 23 touchdown passes while intercepting just eight and allowing opposing quarterbacks to complete 64.2-percent of their passes with a rating of 98.2.

The Falcons have allowed an average of 257.8 passing yards per game, which is more than 100 more yards per game than the Jets’ quarterbacks are averaging (154.7).

Sanchez has thrown for more than 200 yards in three of the 12 games he has played this season (272 yards in Houston, 265 at Miami and 212 against Jacksonville).

“We understand Mark is young,” Woody said. “We’ve got everything here that’s conducive to a young quarterback learning on the job — a running game and defense.

“He’s still learning on the job and he’s getting better, and as we move on and he continues to blossom and grow, we’ll see the offense open up. But at end of the day, we’re going to stay true to who we are.”